Unrest
by MaidenOfImladris
Summary: After Krayon's attack on Eclipse, Raenef begins to think he's more trouble than its worth. (EclipseRae)


A/N: This is my first Eclipsexraenef fic! please R&R – thank you!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters- sigh (I wish) ( oh well- enjoy!  
  
"Unrest"  
  
Raenef curled up against the mattress, his eyes wide open and staring blankly at the pure sheet of darkness that filled the room. It was useless to try to sleep and every minute with his eyes closed brought more thoughts than he cared to remember.  
  
But then again, the solid consciousness wasn't much better. For the umpteenth time the days events passed like a quick wave of light under his eyes, projected from his well tuned memories.  
  
That image of stark black hair mixed with the blood on the ground. The thought that eclipse could have been killed was bad enough, but to know that it was because of him was far worse.  
  
Raenef wanted to move, to get out of the confines of the choking sheets. But no moment came. He stayed, buried by seemingly leaden cloth that served him no definable purpose but to keep him trapped on the mattress.  
  
And trapped he was.  
  
In mind and body he was trapped. No escape, no light lingered for him and the world seemed to defy his purpose, if he ever had any to begin with.  
  
The reasons for Eclipse's undying loyalty and commitment for the young master was beyond him and every night he ended up like this, wondering why?  
  
It was silly, trifle, useless to think of such things. They were important, yes, but when it came to the daytime, when it came to Eclipse's gracing presence, these burdening thoughts never made any difference. They vanished, disappeared when his dark eyes and even darker hair were shown, flowing vibrantly down his back while leaving a few strands to find a spot on his shoulder.  
  
But then when the night comes again, so return the loathing thoughts.  
  
A bitter cycle.  
  
Raenef turned his head, trying to notice a difference in the color of shadows that covered his eyes. None were there, it was all the same from one end to the other, no matter which way he looked and he dared not to look down on his own form. For all his efforts he truly didn't want to see anything. The darkness was somehow a comforting menace that drove him from sanity to insanity in mere seconds.  
  
His thoughts turned to that raven locked beauty that at this very moment adorned in similar sheets. But his rest was one of recovery and for that Raenef didn't feel as uplifted when thinking about him, knowing his state was not peaceful and was probably restless and fitful.  
  
Raenef sensed this, he didn't need to see his twisting body but he knew it was happening. He always knew.  
  
The demon would never admit it and he tried to cover it with a more jovial greeting than he was usually known for giving.  
  
More than that, the fifth lord was upset at his display, and hurt that he couldn't confide in him. If he really wanted, Raenef could order his obedience and demand answers but that seemed fruitless for all it was worth. It wouldn't be Eclipse.  
  
It would be the servant programmed Eclipse and his answers would lack feeling.  
  
No, Raenef wanted Eclipse to come to him on his own.  
  
But the Lord's heart bled and felt void when he heard his servant's voice. It was distant now and less filling. That dark power that captured his pitch seemed weak and less effective.  
  
Raenef gave a quizzing look at the shadow, watching its hue shift slightly. It was the excitement of the night to watch the light filter in through the tight cloth shades that draped over the windows. It was a useless plight and the light would never defeat the darkness no matter how hard it pressed. Only the slits from where the cloth met would there be any notion of morning. It was a small stream, but it was enough to catch the Lord's attention.  
  
Raenef lifted from the sheets, wondering if there'd been any moment where he actually slept. No. None came for him that night.  
  
Eclipse was in the library as he always was in the beginning of a new Saturday. Always Saturday. Sunday he'd be in the gardens. And the weekdays were purely left to chance.  
  
It was a curious thing about his particular mannerisms and it fascinated Raenef to almost a point of obsession.  
  
In the library Eclipse always seated himself in the furthest chair from the right and in his left hand was the same cup of herbal tea. In his right was a familiar book, the same one he was reading the previous week. Raenef then noticed something he hadn't before... the title began with 'M'. The last book he had started with 'N' and the one before that, 'O'. He was going in reverse alphabetical order.  
  
Raenef silently wondered how many of them he's actually read.  
  
Eclipse knew his master was watching him, for what purpose he could not tell, but the constant feel of eyes started to get to him as he tried harder to concentrate on the Melee Conservation of Spell Use Tactics, the very topic their next lesson was sure to bring.  
  
"Is there something you need, Master?" Eclipse looked up, peering mysteriously over the top of the binding.  
  
"No, nothing at all, continue reading." Raenef walked briskly down the adjacent corridor, silently cursing himself for being caught.  
  
The day dragged on and the sun's arms fell short of the world and were swallowed by a darkening cloud that blanketed the sky.  
  
Eclipse found his young master on a nearby bench, looking up at the sky as if trying to will the droplets to fall.  
  
"You can keep doing that forever but the sky is never going to move, young one."  
  
Raenef looked up at him and sighed.  
  
"What ails you?"  
  
"It's no concern of yours."  
  
"But I'm concerned, so it is a concern of mine."  
  
"I could've killed you Eclipse. Why did you risk your life so carelessly?"  
  
"Careless!? If I were careless I would have allowed your death."  
  
"At least you wouldn't have to put up with me anymore... your services will be unbound and you could return to your freedom."  
  
"There is no freedom in the life of a demon. Whether you're alive or dead it does not break my bond to a Raenef, whether he is the fifth or the sixth, they are mine to train and to protect. And you, young sir, are worth protecting."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because... I like you!"  
  
Raenef tilted his head and gave him a strange expression.  
  
"You didn't like the others?"  
  
"Of course i liked them... but you're different. Though you're not exactly the template of a Demon Lord, I still respect you. Probably even more. I had expectations for the others, while you... you surprise me. And in my lifetime, it's taken a lot to surprise me."  
  
"You like me because I'm not what a Demon Lord should be? Haven't you always taught me Demon Lord Etiquette?  
  
"Yes but that's the beauty of it all. You choose the times to use it and when you do it makes you all the more powerful."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"That's alright, we'll continue this some other time." Eclipse lifted his lips in a rare smile to his Master then turned to leave.  
  
Before he got through the door, a voice stopped him.  
  
"Why can't you sleep?"  
  
Eclipse slowly turned around.  
  
"The same reasons as you."  
  
Eclipse took the young Lord's moment of confusion to leave the conversation and exit the room.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
Eclipse turned and calmly looked into the large familiar eyes staring back at him.  
  
"Yes Master?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Did you need something?"  
  
"No... I guess not." Eclipse commenced walking with his hands in their normal position behind his back.  
  
The day went by without a lesson, leaving Raenef all alone on a solitary bench near the gardens.  
  
Solitary that is until Erutis strolled by.  
  
"What's with the sulking, you never sulk."  
  
"Not today Eru."  
  
"Woah, Raenef! Major Demon Lord issues?"  
  
"Yeah you could say that."  
  
"What's the problem?"  
  
"I almost killed him Eru..."  
  
"Yeah but if he hadn't done that, you both wouldn't be alive and well today."  
  
"I know but still."  
  
"He loves you, you know."  
  
Raenef pulled his head up from its downcast lock and stared and the woman swords master.  
  
"I highly doubt it."  
  
"Why? He's always concerned about you; he risked his life to save you, what more do you need?"  
  
"Him to say it."  
  
"ECLIP--" Raenef quickly clamped his hand over Erutis's mouth.  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"Ooh! And judging by that blush, you love him too. Don't you?"  
  
Raenef looked away.  
  
"Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of."  
  
"I'm not ashamed, more like a dreamer who sees the reality. It'd never work between us."  
  
"What wouldn't work... I heard my name called."  
  
Erutis quietly slipped out of the room and left them alone.  
  
"Nothing Eclipse, go back to what you were doing."  
  
A sly glint sparkled in the dark irises of the demons eye as he bent down and whispered in the Lord's ear.  
  
"For the record, I think it would work." Eclipse threw a uncharacteristic wink in his Master's direction and left the room, leaving Raenef to ponder his last statement.  
  
"Wait!" Eclipse smiled and stopped again and turned as he always does, very slowly and very calmly.  
  
"You need something Master."  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes, I do." Raenef closed in and boldly grasped the Demons face in his hands, his thumb caressed Eclipse's cheek before pulling his narrow lips down to meet his own.  
  
Both of them pulled away, knowing tonight they'd finally be able to get some sleep.  
  
THE END 


End file.
